New friends and allies part 2
by kurenohikari
Summary: We already know what happened with Jude and the Devil Girls, but what if he wasn't the only one doing his own scheming? Zero has a curious meeting with Derek that could change it all. (Between 3x03 and 3x04). Sequel of: New friends and allies part 2!
1. Who would have thought?

"Thank you".

I just couldn't believe my ears, or that I those words left my lips. And from the look of pure shock from Zero's face he couldn't either.

However, my surprise changed into a deep desire to punch the bastard's face when he flashed me that typical smug and false smirk of his.

"You're welcomed... but what for?" he asked me, and for the first time I was able to see something honest in him.

I didn't care that it was curiosity but that there was something that showed me who he was, even if it was only a bit.

"When I went to thank Jude for telling Lionel about Jelena's and Terrence's plan about replacing me, he told me something quite curious" I answered, and raised an eyebrow when I saw something flash through Zero's expression. It was unreadable but true, however I ignored it and continued speaking "He told me that I should thank you cause you were the one that told them about their scheme".

"Oh... that" he said under his breath with a deep sigh.

He looked as if he was suffering. Normally I would think that he was like that because one if his schemes didn't go as planned. However, I saw that look in his eyes. The same look that I see each time I look at myself on the mirror whenever I think about Ahsha and how idiot I was for letting her go.

"Why did you do it?" I questioned him, now it was my time to be curious.

"Why did I do what?" he replied, smirk back on place and closing off.

 _Why does he do that? Why does he not show his true self?_ I asked myself in my head.

 _Since when do you care?_ a voice at the back of my mind snapped at me.

 _Since he saved my career in the only team I want to play at,_ I replied before focusing back on my conversation with Zero.

"Don't act like an idiot or treat me like that, Zero" I warned him with an appraising look "Me gone from The Devils would have been your opening to be team captain and star".

"I am already a star" he replied with a cocky smirk and straightened his jacket before throwing his bag over his shoulder "And I have no obligation of answering that question. But just for your information it was for personal reasons".

He headed towards the door of the locker room, clearly finishing the conversation. However, I don't appreciate being cut off or ignored. Also, I always have the last word!

"And by the look on your face it didn't go right" I commented, stopping him on his place "Didn't get the recompense you wanted?".

I almost stepped back from the rage in Zero's face. I would never admit it but the over protectiveness and anger in his eyes scared me.

"Like I said before, I didn't do it for you or for me. I-did-it-for-personal-reasons!" he said through gritted teeth, accentuating his words carefully to be sure his message gets through.

I knew that I shouldn't push it anymore. That Zero was at his limit, but I did it anyway. I pressed on the issue.

"In other words you did it for Jude" my words froze him, he looked like a deer at the headlights. It was kind of funny "You did it so he would forgive you whatever you did to hurt him, but it wasn't enough. You did it because you are head over heels for him, and you need him in your life because you are completely miserable right now. Yes, we all noticed it. But no one knew why until now...".

I was cut off when Zero dropped his bag and pushed me against the nearest wall. He was grabbing me by the neck of my shirt with a grip of iron, and glaring at me with all his hater... no, not hater. But fear, fear of what? Of coming out? No, of showing something true about himself.

 _And why do you know so much about your enemy number one?_ The same voice of before nagged me once more.

 _Because you need to understand your enemy to know how to fight them better,_ I replied, _As it is said, keep your friends close but your enemies closer_.

 _But be aware that when you finally understand your enemy you'll end up liking them_. Warned me, what I think it's my awareness. _After all, humans only hate what they don't understand_.

"Don't say a damn word, ok?" he threatened me, snapping me back from my thoughts. We stayed like that for a while, just staring in anger at each other's eyes until Zero broke the silence "How did you discover it?".

"You have the same look" I told him slowly. Unsure of how to proceed, Zero was like time bomb about to explode "The same look that I have whenever I think about Ahsha".

Silence rang around us once again after I said my words. Zero finally let me go and moved to sit at a bench. I stayed standing and leaning against the wall.

Once again, was Zero the one that spoke first "Is it that obviously?".

"No" I replied and sat next to him "We all knew that there was something wrong with you, but no one was able to discover it yet. I just knew and understood you expression, connecting the dots was easy afterwards".

"Ja... be careful with what you say or you'll sound as if the team cares for me. And even worst, that you care!" he chuckled humorlessly.

"We do" I said so low that it was almost a murmur.

"What?" he asked me clearly surprise.

"The Devils are and have always been a family, even in the Devil's time" I answered him "We were worried about you, even if it takes all my pride to admit caring for a self-centered prick like you" I joked making him laugh a bit "You are pushing yourself too much during training and the matches. Even Pete has been getting worried, and he is the principle person to push us to our limits. We wanted to know what happened or who hurt you so much that you had to burry yourself at training, so we could beat someone for hurting our brother".

"Brother? You hate me Derek, or did you forget that?" Zero said with a confused frown.

 _Yes, did you?_ asked me my awareness slyly.

If it had a face I am sure it would be giving me a 'I-know-something-you-don't' look and a cocky smirk.

 _Shut it!_ I snapped at my awareness and turned back to talk to Zero.

"I am the team captain Zero. I am like the oldest brother of our strange and big family. I have to make sure that the little ones know how to behave and what to do. Even if I end up being the bad boy. Do you really think that you are the only one with a bad relationship with me?" I questioned him.

"Jules and Albert" he said, as if he had made a huge discovery... and maybe he had.

"Yes, they became your friends so fast because they knew what it meant to be under my constant look. I am hard with all of you because if I am not then the media will eat you all" I said and then confessed to him "At the beginning it was true that I hated you and never considered you part of the family. Not that anyone ever noticed it, they did treat you as a brother thinking that I was just acting as the bad boy until you start behaving correctly. But...".

"That was never your intention" finished Zero "You would have continued being a bad boy even if I started behaving good".

"Would do have?".

"No! I am who I am, screw the rest!" he snorted.

"Except when they know that you are gay. Except when they see the true you" I replied with a smirk "My cousin is gay Zero. She had and has to support a lot of crap from people, but ever since she came out is like a weight was lifted from her shoulders".

"So that's why you started seeing me as a little brother" he commented. He stood up, picked up his back and walked towards the door only to turned his head around when he reached the exit "You are not that bad Derek... and don't worry it is clear that Ahsha is still hung up on you".

My heart skipped a beat at the idea of my loved one still loving me. That Zero tried to give me support on the most complicated and hard issue in the actual moment of my life, helped me making a difficult decision.

He was about to leave but I stopped him again with a simple phrase "Would you want to tag together to get rid of Jelena and Terrence?".

Now he turned completely to face me "Would you really for against your best friend?".

"Ex-best friend. What he did is unforgivable" I replied.

"And you think I won't".

"You have principles that you follow, even when you are scheming" I answered the unasked 'Why?'.

"That is another reason why I didn't go along Jelena's and Terrence's offer" he said with an amused smirk "It wouldn't be fun having no one to scheme against or with inside the team. If I become the star of The Devils would be because of my own personal effort, not because I cheated".

"Another reason why I chose you to be my partner in crime" I added, making him chuckle "So, are you in?".

"Count me in, bro" with that said he left the lockers room with an honest smile.

 _Who would have thought I would become friends with Zero?_ I thought with a smile of my own.

Watch it Terrence we are coming after you!


	2. Let's see what my future holds for me

"Not bad Derek, Zero. Keep working together as good as you are doing now and we'll have next championship in our pockets" praised us Pete, before shouting to everyone: "Take five!".

I threw an arm around Zero's shoulder and ruffled his hair, he shooed my arms away and punched (friendly) me on my shoulder. We both laughed happily and carefree, we weren't two professional basketball stars that were trying to best each other but two friends just having fun doing what they love. The rest of the team patted us on our back and congratulated us for our hard work. I raised my gaze and watched with a satisfied smirk how Terrence was seething angrily at me... well, more specifically at Zero and me.

"We'll still meet at your place tomorrow, aren't we?" Zero said, lowly enough that I'll be the only one hearing it.

"Yes, we still have a lot of things to plan if we want to defeat them" I replied.

Ever since we both got in accord to leave our differences away and work together to ruin Jelena's and Terrence's plans on buying the team, things had never been better between the team. It was as if Zero was the missing peace we needed, and me getting along with him was the thing we needed.

However, I noticed something else. Something I would never admit out loud. We needed Terrence back, only then the team would be finally complete. Sometimes I just couldn't stop myself and think about how good the three of us, Zero, Terrence and me, would have been. Not only as a team, but as best friends.

I admitted that to Zero on Saturday, after a lot of beers and half bottle of whiskey, and got a sympathetic smile "It is normal, after all you both are best friends since... I don't know how long. But surely a lot".

"Were" I corrected him "We aren't anymore" he just laughed drily "What are you laughing about?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"That kind of friendship can't be broken so easily, you are angry now but in a few days he'll come back with a very good excuse for you to forgive him and then everything will be fine" he answered with a twisted smile "I just wish that things with Jude could be like that".

"What did really happen between you and Jude?" I asked curiously "You never told me exactly".

"He... he gave me an ultimatum and then when I did something good to earn his forgiveness back I ruin things again. I always ruin everything I touch!" I was shocked at how much honesty I was getting from him.

 _But what else did you expect? He is hammered, just like you._ I commented in my head.

"What was that ultimatum?" I pushed a bit more, slowly not wanting to scare him off.

"He wanted a relationship. A normal, cheesy and romantic relationship" he replied "I don't do relationships. I never thought that someone could love me" I never thought my heart would ache for Zero, but it just did. He looked like a little boy who was lost... and maybe he was "And then Jude came crushing into my world. A light, a pure hearted boy that wants me for me, who doesn't want Zero the superstar... just me" I felt a twang of pain in my heart at the look of wonder in Zero's face. A look that showed how amazed he was about this whole situation, as if he couldn't believe this was really happening to him "But I had to ruin thing, as I always do" he frowned and glared at the ceiling "It is better like that, I would have ended up hurting him. Better early than late".

He was sprawled on my couch, an arm resting on his forehead and the other on around the whiskey bottle. I stood up, snatched the bottle from his hand and sat on the floor leaning against the couch.

"I want you to never speak like that again" I ordered him and took a sip of the poison that burnt my throat but brought me back alive "You are a Devil, Zero. We get whatever we want and will always win. I'll help you get back with Jude and you'll be the best boyfriend he ever had. We will make sure that he never forgets you and that he'll be ruined for other men. Ok?".

He blinked at me, I could easily notice that I surprised him with my small encouragement speech "Ok" he simply replied.

"Then sleep the stupidity off" I ordered him and dragged him towards the guest room.

I slept on and only woke up at two o'clock on Sunday. I wasn't worried about that, during week-ends I normally sleep on. However, not finding Zero anywhere my house and him not answering my calls did.

 _He surely is only embarrassed at how much he confessed last night_ , I assured myself mentally and went for a run.

I passed Saturday like any other day whenever I don't have to work, on bed eating take outs and watching a re-run of Bones. I was able to forget about my concern about Zero and the bad feeling I was having. But it came back when I entered the lockers room the next day and noticed that the only one that was missing was Zero.

"Jules! Albert!" I called out for the best mates of Zero in the team, not counting me. They turned around to face me "Where is Zero?".

"You don't know?" asked Jules surprised "It was all over the news on Saturday".

 _Saturday, the same day that Zero vanished._ I thought my worry increasing.

"I didn't watch the news" I replied.

"Jude Kinkade was stabbed Friday night, he is in bed rest for at least a week" I almost gasped at Albert's words "Zero called Pete today and stated that he wasn't coming. He is staying at his ex-manager's apartment to help him out. Lionel being his step-mother allowed this and warned Pete of the consequences of going against her" he chuckled a bit at the end "Who would have thought that Pete was still sacred of his ex-wife?".

"But really, I didn't know that Zero and Jude were that good friends? I always knew that there was something strange about them, but lately they haven't talked too much" commented Jules, gaining an affirmative nod and grunt from Albert.

They continued talking but I didn't stay to know what did they say, I left the lockers room and took my phone ready to call Zero and ask if he was right. If Ahsha was the one stabbed I would be like crazy.

I stopped only when s _he_ called out of me "That won't be necessary, Derek. Gideon is fine".

I turned around and looked at Ahsha confused "Gideon?" I asked her.

"I have a lot of things to discuss with you" she told me with a sigh and tired smile "But not here. Let's go to Lionel's office".

 _Lionel's office? Why would she want to go there?_ I thought, confusion only increasing by the passing minute.

"I'll explain it to you there" she assured me, guessing what was passing through my head thanks to my expressions "Are you coming?".

 _If you ask me like that I have no opportunity to refuse,_ I commented in my head knowing when I am defeated.

"Coming" I replied and followed her through the corridors of the Arena.

 _Let's see what the future holds for me_.


	3. Sequel!

_**Author's Note:**_

 ** _This work has a sequel, it's name is: Game on._**

 ** _I hope you'll enjoy it as well._**

 ** _XOXOKURENOHIKARI:)_**


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